True Happiness

~ By Ajahn Jayasāro ~

So much human effort is mis-directed and reaps unnecessary frustration. Four kinds of effort stand out:

(i)     Trying to get rid of or escape from present suffering, without understanding it.

(ii)    Trying to find protection from the threat of future suffering, without understanding it.

(iii)   Trying to find happiness by pursuing pleasure.

(iv)   Trying to hold onto happiness and pleasures already gained, to prevent them disappearing.

The Buddha taught us to change the focus of our efforts to:

(i)     Learning how to let go of present defilements, the root cause of present suffering.

(ii)    Learning how to protect the mind from as-yet unarisen defilement, the root cause of future suffering.

(iii)   Learning how to bring kusala dhammas, the root cause of true happiness, into the mind.

(iv)   Learning how to nurture and bring to maturity the arisen kusala dhammas that are the root cause of true happiness.

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"Food for the Heart", a series of Dhamma teachings handwritten weekly is posted on the Buddhadāsa Indapañño Archives page with Ajahn's kind permission.

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For other teachings by Ven. Ajahn Jayasāro, please visit the Panyaprateep Foundation website.